Knowlton Development Corporation (KDC/ONE) has acquired California-based Cosmetic Laboratories of America (CLA), a market leader in the development, formulation, and supply of personal care and beauty products.
WHO: Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Chatsworth, California, Cosmetic Laboratories of America has been formulating and packaging some of the most trusted and familiar brands in the world for nearly half a century. Operating from its manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Chatsworth, CLA employs approximately 350 employees and serves a broad base of customers that range from Fortune 500 companies to well-known health, beauty, cosmetic, and fragrance brands, as well as specialized health and beauty aid companies.
Established in 2002, KDC/ONE has grown organically and through acquisitions to become one of the world’s leading custom formulators and manufacturers with 18 state-of-the-art facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia. Backed by Cornell Capital, which acquired KDC/ONE in December 2018 together with Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Investissement Québec and HarbourVest Partners, KDC/ONE offers high-touch innovation, operational excellence, and speed to market to well-known and emerging brands.
WHY: This acquisition strengthens KDC/ONE leadership on the West Coast in delivering creative design, innovation-driven research, custom development and manufacturing to the prestige beauty segment, with a particular focus on skincare, haircare, and color cosmetics for emerging indie brands. Following the company’s recent integration of Benchmark Laboratories and merger with HCT Group—both of which operate high-quality, cutting-edge facilities in the region—and together with KDC/ONE’s existing Thibiant and Thibiant Naturals plants, the strategic acquisition of CLA creates the largest regional innovation hub and a one-stop solution for West Coast customers. The close proximity of these facilities creates significant opportunities for collaboration, future investment, and increased scale for growth, while also providing CLA customers with access to KDC/ONE’s worldwide network.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: “CLA has been a premier early formulation developer for decades, as evidenced by the number of large, flagship beauty products the company has developed and launched over the years,” said Nicholas Whitley, Chief Executive Officer of KDC/ONE. “With an exceptional leadership team, a reputation for speed-to-market and best-in-class assets producing prestige skin and hair care products, CLA is the ideal partner for KDC/ONE as we look to invest in and solidify our West Coast footprint, further enhance our creative, cutting-edge offerings and scale our end-to-end capabilities in the region.”
“We are excited to join the KDC/ONE family and work alongside its world-class team to provide our valued customers with an expanded suite of offerings as part of a growing global platform,” said Oscar Saldarriaga, General Manager of CLA. “Over the years, CLA has built a platform recognized for innovation, quality and reliability. With KDC/ONE’s unmatched track record of innovation and local and global scale, I am confident that together we will achieve our goal of cementing our position as the custom developer and manufacturer of choice on the West Coast.”
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